UNITED NATIONS – United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has encouraged all Libyan parties to preserve stability. The UN chief urged "all parties to continue to maintain stability in Libya as a major priority," according to a statement released by his office.
The senior UN diplomat said he was aware of the country's eastern-based House of Representatives voting on Thursday to name a new prime minister. According to news reports, MPs decided to establish a new interim administration, despite the opposition of internationally recognised Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who stated that he would not resign and called the action illegitimate.
The report adds, two rival administrations are contending for ultimate control, with the UN-backed government and institutions based in Tripoli, and a new parliament-backed authority led by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha establishing itself in the capital.
Following the fall of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, oil-rich Libya fell into brutal conflict between opposing militias. The UN-led and inclusive Libyan Political Dialogue Forum made significant progress toward reconciling the country a year ago through UN-brokered negotiations toward a durable peace and a new democratic constitution.
Parliamentarians passed a constitutional amendment, according to Guterres, that lays out a "road map" for modifying the 2017 constitutional draught, on which no agreement has been achieved.
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